This action approves an award in the amount of $2,499,999 to the university of south alabama to support their efforts with improving the water quality of the gulf of mexico

This Cooperative Agreement award of $2,499,999 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Geographic Programs - Gulf of Mexico Program (CFDA 66.475) provides funding to the University of South Alabama (USA) to implement initiatives focused on improving water quality, habitat restoration, environmental education, and community resilience in the Gulf of Mexico region.

The key activities to be performed under this award include developing and administering a competitive subaward program to fund projects that address environmental justice issues, promote improved water quality, and enhance community resilience in Alabama's coastal communities. USA will provide technical assistance to subawardees and document the beneficial impacts on underserved communities. Expected outcomes include improved abilities to identify, apply for, and manage grants related to water quality improvement, pollution reduction, stormwater and flood mitigation, and policy changes to better protect human health and the environment. A subaward has been made to the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium (Dauphin Island Sea Lab) to provide expertise in research coordination and outreach/education for the project.

The activities to be performed include developing and administering a competitive subaward program to fund projects that address environmental justice issues in identified project areas that promote improved water quality, habitat restoration, environmental education, and community resilience. Describe anticipated deliverables: technical assistance will be provided, and the beneficial impacts on the underserved communities will be documented. Expected outcomes include: improved abilities to identify, successfully apply for, and effectively manage grants related to water quality improvement, reduction and elimination of pollution in underserved disadvantaged communities; increased environmental justice activities associated with subrecipient work; pollution reduction; stormwater and flood mitigation improvement; and improvements to state, county, and local environmental program requirements or policies that better protect human health and the environment in line with the JUSTICE40 initiative. The residents and underserved communities in the coastal counties of alabama will benefit from improved water quality and enhanced community resilience.activities:.subrecipient:subrecipient activities will be funded to implement projects focusing on water quality improvement, pollution reduction in underserved communities, and environmental justice anticipated to produce a range of significant environmental outcomes for alabama's coastal communities.outcomes:.